News

Volume 5 Issue 3 - February 01, 2007

Bihar Government concerned over rise in polio cases

D.N.I.S. News Network – The Bihar Government is worried over the alarming rise in polio cases in the state. According to official sources, during the launch of the first polio round for 2007, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar directed the State Health Department to coordinate with all governmental and non-governmental agencies with the pledge to work with “renewed vigour” to eradicate polio.

As per U.N.I.C.E.F. figures, Bihar registered 90 per cent increase in polio cases in 2006 over the corresponding period in 2005. Fifty seven polio cases were detected in 2006 against 27 cases detected in 2005. According to U.N.I.C.E.F., Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were the two states that experienced maximum recurrence of polio cases in recent years.

The Bihar Chief Minister has asked the Health Minister to examine ways in which the programme could be further improved and strengthened in order to eradicate polio. The Government is planning to involve religious leaders in select pockets where there is inhibition with regard to polio drops.

It is a known fact that Bihar and Uttar Pradesh together have contributed to the substantial increase in the total polio cases in India in 2006. Out of 641 new cases recorded in 2006, Uttar Pradesh contributed 541 while Bihar had 57 polio cases. The recent investigations jointly conducted by the Union and State Health Department revealed that 12 per cent houses in Bihar were missed by vaccinators during the polio immunisation campaigns in 2005 and 2006. The actual figures could be much higher than that recorded.